Dancing with the Stars Premiere Stalls Amid WGA Picket Drama
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is back on the picket lines, with members meeting The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) today to revisit negotiations. Meanwhile, approximately 35 writers have taken to picketing outside TV City, according to Deadline, identifying the set of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars as their target. This is the latest in a sequence of picket actions leveled at the ABC show, which, after a host of picketing encounters during rehearsals, is set to premiere this Tuesday.
The WGA picket activity includes targeting notable talent, such as Matt Walsh and Mira Sorvino, across various Hollywood locations. These efforts seem to have had some impact, as Matt Walsh, star of the HBO series Veep and a legitimate member of the WGA, has since pressed pause on his participation in Dancing with the Stars. In response to the ongoing picket action, ABC has deferred their initial premiere date of September 26. However, it was still hoped that negotiations would arrive at a satisfactory resolution in time to proceed without further picketing interference.
It is reported that show producers are currently nestled within TV City's walls, busily preparing for the anticipated Tuesday premiere. The rallying writers articulate their message as a demonstration of solidarity for the WGA Negotiating Committee. They assert they’re supporting their colleagues and vow not to quit. Projections suggest that it is very likely that the picketers will extend their presence at TV City over the coming days, more specifically tomorrow and Tuesday, contingent on the day's negotiation outcomes.
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Calming the unsettling roars of picketing outside TV City, the WGA writers have seemingly brought their planning whiteboards to the streets of Hollywood, creating a whole new narrative and plot twist for ABC’s Dancing with the Stars. While one doesn't usually associate the art of interpretative dance with labor unions and wage negotiations, this fascinating occurrence has translated a backstage dispute into a reality drama extravaganza.
Indeed, the veiled nuances of the Hollywood industry add an unexpected kick-ball-change to this ongoing show. As the WGA dances a stern paso doble with the AMPTP, actors such as Matt Walsh find themselves caught in a tangy tango, two-step-twisting between their professional commitments and union loyalties.
And even as ABC attempts a somewhat graceful relevé to sidestep the issue by pushing back the premiere date, one does wonder whether this delicate ballet of negotiations may inadvertently bring in higher ratings than a flawlessly executed cha-cha-cha. After all, nothing draws a crowd like a crowd, and this picket line dance-off has certainly amassed an audience.
If nothing else, this serving of editorial salsa has ensured that no matter what happens between now and the premiere - the twist and turns, the high lifts and low dips - the first episode of ABC's Dancing with the Stars will undoubtedly be a performance no one would want to miss. Let's hope the AMPTP and WGA can soon find their rhythm and let the dance floor at TV City open in peace.
